MONROVIA – A man arrested and charged with murder in one of three gang-related shootings in the Monrovia area last year is believed to be a high-ranking gang member, authorities said Wednesday.

Uriel Garcia, 24, is charged in the slaying of 19-year-old Brandon Lee outside Lee’s uncle’s home on Almond Avenue on Jan. 29, 2008.

Garcia is a known member of the primarily Latino gang, Monrovia Nuevo Varrio, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide Detective Philip Guzman.

“I know that he is known to be a member of that gang. He was considered to be very active in the gang. I’ve been told he’s considered to be one of the leaders of the gang,” Guzman said.

Garcia was arrested Feb. 11 in the killing of Lee, whom authorities have tied to a rival African-American gang, the Du Roc Crips. Garcia was involved in Lee’s fatal shooting but did not fire the gun, Guzman said.

“He was obviously one of the primary people involved, but he is not believed to actually be the person who did the shooting,” he said. “There are definitely other people who are involved who have not been charged.”

Guzman said Lee was exiting a friend’s car on the night of Jan. 29, 2008, when a dark car pulled up nearby.

“The shooter got out of the car, shot him, got back in the car and they fled,” he said.

An official from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that a second man, Valentin Valenzuela, was charged with attempted murder for Lee’s slaying. On Wednesday, officials clarified that Valenzuela was actually charged in a different killing.

Police also announced that a suspect in a second January 2008 shooting has been arrested and charged with murder.

Carlos Torres Jr., 16, is accused of participating in the murder of 64-year-old Sanders Rollins on Jan. 13, 2008, outside Rollins’ home on Sherman Avenue. A second suspect has been identified in the shooting but has not been arrested, according to police officials.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Mary Youngblood, Rollins’ sister, said she was aware of the arrests but had no comment.

Monrovia Police Chief Roger Johnson said he was “obviously very happy” with the arrests, adding that his detectives will continue to aid the Sheriff’s Department in their investigations.

“From my perspective, we’re very pleased any time we can put violent gang members behind bars and keep them there,” said Johnson. “The investigations are all moving forward and they have our top priority, and a lot of effort is being put into them.”